The invention will be described in the context of a car door but it can be used with other closures on a vehicle, such as a tailgate, or with other types of vehicle, such as aircraft. Indeed, in a broad sense, the retractable handle arrangement of the invention can be used in non-vehicular applications.
The demands of aesthetics, aerodynamics and wind-noise control often make it desirable for a door handle to lie flush with the surrounding door skin of a vehicle. Flap-type door handles may be used for this reason. Such handles comprise a typically top-pivoted flap that is pulled against spring bias and hence pivoted outwardly with respect to the surrounding door skin to unlatch the door. A finger recess is usually provided in the door skin adjacent to, most commonly underneath, the flap of the handle. This recess gives finger access to the rear of the handle so that the handle may be pulled to unlatch and open the door.
A flap-type handle tends to be awkward to use and cannot be grasped as comfortably or satisfyingly as other handle types. Perhaps the most convenient handle type has a protruding bar-like grab or handgrip that may be gripped in the user's hand, an example being a strap-type handle in which the handgrip is part of a loop.
Strap-type handles have particular benefits over flap-type handles in terms of ergonomics and load transferral: for example, when using a flap-type handle, it is not possible for the user to choose whether to use an overhand or underhand grip style. Also, a flap-type handle constrains where the handle may be positioned on the vehicle with respect to the user's stance. Unfortunately, however, the protruding handgrip of a strap-type handle does not have the benefits of flush mounting.
A flap-type handle with its associated finger recess is also an aesthetic constraint. There have therefore been several proposals in the prior art to provide a finger recess with a hinged cover plate that lies flush with the door skin and with the adjacent flap-type handle but that pivots inwardly to admit the user's fingers to operate the handle. However, this cover plate does not solve the inherent problems of a flap-type handle: if anything, it makes the handle more difficult to use. Also, arguably, a cover plate may look no better than leaving the finger recess uncovered.
To solve some of these problems and to offer a ‘surprise and delight’ feature, some flush-mounted door handles are retractably mounted to a vehicle. This means that the handle can move between two states: a stowed or retracted state in which the handle is flush-mounted and a deployed or extended state in which the handle stands proud of the surrounding bodywork to be easier to grasp. Movement of the handle between the stowed and deployed states may be effected by means of an automated mechanism.
Once in the deployed state, the handle can then be pulled to open the door. This involves moving the handle to a third, operative state to unlatch the door, typically by pivoting the deployed handle against spring bias. In moving from the deployed state to the operative state, the handle may unlatch the door mechanically, for example by pulling a Bowden cable acting on the door latch, or electrically, for example by switching a solenoid acting on the door latch.
A problem with a retractable door handle of the kind described above exists where an automated mechanism is used to retract the door handle from the deployed state to the stowed state. In this case, there is a danger that a user's fingers may become trapped between the handle and the surrounding door skin in the case that the user is holding the handle as it retracts.
Moreover, a retractable door handle of the kind described above may be susceptible to damage in the case of abuse by a user. Such damage may occur in the event that a user tries to force the door handle from the deployed state into the stowed state thereby applying stresses which could damage the mechanism.
Furthermore, another problem associated with a retractable handle arrangement is to provide the user with the associated functionality, such as means to lock and unlock the door, in a way which is intuitive and simple to use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved retractable handle arrangement.